Focusing device for headlights



H. W. BROWN. FOCUSING DEVICE FOR HEADLIGHTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1920.

1,386,312, Patented'Aug. 2, 1921.

INVENTOR WI'I'N ESS ES ATTORNEY headlight is provided with the customary HERBERT WALDO BROWN, 0F ASHLAND, OHIO.

FOCUSING DEVICE FOR- HEADLIGHTS.

Application filed April 14,

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, HERBERT W. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Focusing. Device for Headlights, of which the following is a specification. p

This inventionhas reference tofocusin devices for automobile electric headlights and its object is to provide easily and quickly actuated means for adjusting the electric bulb, commonly employed in automobile headlights, accurately and without the aid of tools.

In accordance with the invention the reflector and axial sleeve for holding the lamp receptacle, but the receptacle and sleeve are somewhat modified in that there is provided a clip or lock for adjustably holding the receptacle in the sleeve or collar whereby the lamp maybe moved axially and properly centered into any one of a large-numberof positions andthey are held without the use of adjusting screws or set screws to hold the lamp socket properly located in the optical aXis of the reflector.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a rear elevation of the reflector showing the outer shell of the lamp receptacle in cross section in substantially the plane of the clip or lock.

Fig. 2 is a front to rear elevation with some parts in section of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a bowl-shaped reflector body 1, which may be of usual construction and hence requires no special description. At the base of the reflector there is secured a sleeve 2 having an opposite ring 3 from which there is a continuation for entering the reflector and there expanded so that the reflector and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 373,798.

sleeve are securely fastened together. The sleeve is shaped to receive a socket 5 arranged in the usual manner to in turn receive the base 6 of an electric lamp bulb 7. The socket 5 is formed in the usual manner with bayonet slots in which are introduced the usual pins to secure the lamp base 6 in the socket 5.

In order to limit the entrance of-the socket 5 into the sleeve 2, the latter has out-turned tongues 8 so positioned as to engage the sleeve and thereby prevent the introduction of the socket into the sleeve beyond a certain distance. The socket 5 is provided with a back contact carrier 9, which may be of usual construction, and this carrier is provided with a bore 10 for the reception of an electric conductor 11 held in the back contact carrier by a set screw 12, or in other appropriate manner. Applied to the carrier 9 is a ring 13 which is held to the back contact carrier by the conductor 11- and is of such size as to engage the rear or outer end of the sleeve 2, thus preventing the movement of the socket 5 into the reflector beyond a determined distance. Provision is thus made for preventing escape of the lamp socket from either end of the sleeve but at the same time permitting a limited adjustment of the socket and the lamp carried thereby longitudinally of the optical axis of the lamp and reflector.

On opposite sides but preferably, though not necessarily, to one side of the longitudinal diametric plane of the sleeve are lips 14 which may be conveniently pressed out of the sleeve 2, forming thereby sockets or receptacles for ends 15, with an elliptical spring 16 formed of a piece of spring wire with terminals 17 cut off substantially square whereby to form edges which will readily bite into the surface of the socket 5. In this manner the terminals or ends 17 form cutting edges which enter the outer surface of the socket 5, particularly as the socket is usually made of some hard material like brass, and with the spring 16 of harder material like steel, the tendency of the spring 16 is to bite into the socket 5 is quite pronounced. By properly proportioning the parts the spring 16 may be spread sufliciently to permit the ends 17 thereof to enter the sockets 14 and press with requisite force against the socket 5. The spring 16, therefore, constitutes an elastic or spring clip suitably strong to hold the socket 5 in any position of adjustment in the sleeve 2 against displacement by such shocks or jars as may occur in the" use of the headlight but which will yield to designedly applied forces whereby the socket 5,'with a bulb 7 carried thereby may be adjusted at the will of an operator. Such adjustmentmaybe performed by pushing the bulb 7 into or out of the socket 5 from the reflector end thereof. At times the adjustment may be more easily performed by imparting a twisting movement to the lamp and its socket,

thus makin the adjustment l easier, especially if per ormed from the rear of the reflector- Whatever the procedure the socket will remain fixed in the adjusted position to which it is moved and will hold such 7 position against all disturbing forces, other Serial No. 368,567, on March 25,1920, but

which application omits certain advantageous features herein disclosed, although containing some features in common with this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bulb focusing device'for automobile electric headlights employing a reflector body with a sleeve at its basic end, comprising a socket for'an electric headlight bulb adapted to the interior of the sleeve, and an elastic clip or holding means carried by the sleeve in engagement with the outer wall of the socket, the sleeve being provided with circumferentially spaced passages for the endsof the clip, with said passages havin outwardly directed lips for holding and guiding the ends of the spring clip and directing them into biting engagement with the lamp socket when in the sleeve.

2'. A bulb focusing device for automobile electric headlights provided with a reflector bowl or body and a sleeve at the basic end thereof, comprising a socket for the electric bulb adapted to the .sleeve for movement longitudinally and circumferentially with relation thereto, and the sleeve having passages leading to' the interior thereof, and' lips covering said passages, a clip or holding device comprising an appropriately bent pieceof spring wire with square cut ends entering the passages beneath the lips and engaging theouter, surface of the socket by means of the square cut ends. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I havehereto affixed my signature.

HERBERT WALDO BROWN. 

